The Rabbit's Gift by Jessica Vitalis

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Rabbit's Gift by Jessica Vitalis April Spisak Vitalis, Jessica The Rabbit's Gift. Greenwillow, 2022 [320p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063067462 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063067486 $8.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-6 In this gently folkloric story set in France, there has been a delicate balance between humans, who leave purple carrots out as tribute, and rabbits, who then deliver tiny human babies inside cabbages to those families. A recent lack of tributes has left the rabbits starving, however, and Quincy, a young rabbit, plans to leave home, find the purple carrots that his kind needs for survival, and return a hero. On his way back from his mission, he's followed by a human girl, Fleurine, who has wanted a sibling forever and steals a Chou baby without considering the ethical consequences or the practical risks of trying to ripen a cabbage child while on the run. The ills of the human world feel depressingly familiar here, but there is magic to be found in the Warren, a place only accessible through secret paths and lined with endless rows of baby-filled Chou. Fleurine is self-centered and her desire for a sister certainly does not merit upending a longstanding agreement between rabbits and people, but she has a good heart and learns from her mistakes. Quincy, all silent motivational talks and poignant yearning to be a hero rather than the runt of a litter, anchors the fantasy in emotion and heart, stretching far beyond his own imagining and reminding readers that small can still be mighty. An author's note identifies the European folklore roots of this adapted story. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois